Ar-15

[iCe]

I wonder how many hits this thread will get.

Anyone here ever build a so-called "black rifle"? The cost to do so has gone through the roof for reasons I won't get into. I won't get my parts for about 2 months. The lower receiver I can get pretty quickly if I go with Del-tron. Mega is "we'll call you if they show up".

I'm just curious if anyone has ever built one and how they liked the project.

[David_3]

Yep. In fact, I'm building one now. Parts are scarce, but if you are very diligent about checking various suppliers, you will find them in stock at times. The problem is that they don't stay in stock very long. It's frustrating, but I actually think it's getting a little bit better lately.

What type of AR build are you going for?

[Daniel Bates]

I've been meaning to build for a long time now (Spike's .22LR upper, Del-Ton LPK, and any lower that doesn't have a stag engraved on it), but I messed up and didn't order before this fall. Oops.


If I were to build one, I'd clone my assigned weapon: M4 with quad-rails, a flip-up BUIS, and an Aimpoint M68.

[iCe]

Originally Posted by David_3

Yep. In fact, I'm building one now. Parts are scarce, but if you are very diligent about checking various suppliers, you will find them in stock at times. The problem is that they don't stay in stock very long. It's frustrating, but I actually think it's getting a little bit better lately.

What type of AR build are you going for?

The first one is going to be a Del-Tron kit including their stripped lower receiver. I want a Mega receiver BUT in reality, according to Ar-15.com anyway, there is no appreciable difference in the better known stripped lowers. Of corse that didn't stop me from clicking the "contact me" button.

Specs
5.56mm
16" chrome lined 1x9 barrel
DPMS Free float tube - vented
Magpul Mil-spc CTR Buttstock
A2 grip
A2 Flash hider
Knights 2-stage trigger
A2

[Daniel Bates]

The Knights is good. I would heavily recommend a two-stage over any default trigger. The Colt-supplied (subcontracted) ones we use are garbage.

[iCe]

Originally Posted by Daniel Bates

The Knights is good. I would heavily recommend a two-stage over any default trigger. The Colt-supplied (subcontracted) ones we use are garbage.

Yeah... I even use a Kidd 2 stage on my Ruger 10-22. I'm sure that by now you know what a good trigger will do for you and what a bad trigger will do to your groups. The stock trigger on most guns sucks

[Daniel Bates]

I wish they'd spend the extra money on triggers instead of quad Picatinny rails, fore-end handgrips and flip-up iron sights. You think my unit armorer would notice if I swapped out the milspec trigger housing with a JP adjustable?

[David_3]

The biggest difference in receivers, is the material they are made from. Just be sure to get one that is 7075 aluminum alloy, as opposed to the softer 6061 alloy. Also, in the past, there were some cast receivers floating around. I doubt you will run across one of those, but if you do, avoid it like the plague. Other than that, any reputable brand is fine.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of A2 anything (except the front sight post ). I guess it's really a matter of personal preference, but the A1 upper is fantastic for a carry handle AR. They are lighter, have fewer parts to break, and the simple rear sight is perfect for the 5.56 point blank range. I had an A2 upper, but converted to the A1 a couple of years ago. I also really like the Magpul grip, as it helps to position my finger properly on the trigger (the backstrap on the A2 grip is waaaaay too small for me). My current build is a flat top recon version. I managed to snag a Noveske 16" barrel last week. That's not the original direction I was headed in but apparently it's where I'm going to end up.

[iCe]

What do you think of the the .308 versions? Truthfully, I didn't realize they made one and really haven't seen anything other than a post on a forum about it...

[David_3]

Triggers on battle rifles have to be soldier proof, and thus they really shouldn't be adjustable. It's one less thing to break (come loose), and the last thing you want is for every arm chair armorer in the unit to be adjusting their own trigger out in the field. Now on the other hand, if it's a nice target rifle, well........

David_3 added 5 Minutes and 1 Seconds later...Double Post Merged Below

I'd like to build a .308 on an AR platform some day, but I have not put much research into it. They are built on a completely different receiver than the 5.56, and other than DPMS, I'm not even sure who makes them. I suspect they are a little on the heavy side, but still, it's on my "want to do list". Maybe one day I'll get around to it.

Also, when I get the urge to shoot a bigger caliber, I break out my M1 Garand. Now that's what you call fun!!

[kneemeaux]

I built a target rifle from a Bushmaster stripped lower a few years ago ($125 back then). I bought a pimped-out upper from a friend (match barrel, sites, etc.). He helped me assemble the lower with a two stage trigger. If he hadn't helped me I never would have figured out how to assemble everything. At 100 yards I fired a 5-shot group that can be covered with a dime.

Building your own is the only way to go these days. You can't get anything for less that $1200, but at the last gun show I attended (3 weeks ago) you could still get a full lower for ~$360 and uppers for ~$650.

I fully agree about the trigger...money is much better spent there. What are you going to do with 4 rails anyway? Lights and lasers? Remember that just like tracers, they work both ways...

[Daniel Bates]

We don't put much on our rails. I have a M68 and a handgrip on mine - the left and right sides have rail covers on them. We don't have most of the rest of SOPMOD I on our weapons, thank goodness. An M4 is front-heavy enough without a PEQ-2, PEQ-5, or light hanging off the RIS.

[dbphotos]

I have a "few" and have changed parts so many times that I've essentially built a few.

A little over a week ago I went to Tactical Rifle Instructor school at CSAT (you can read my summary here: http://www.baileytactical.com/blog/v...uctor_training) and I quickly made some adjustments to how I equipped my rifle.

The rifle I took with me (Rock River Arms) started out looking like this:





and by the time I was finished I had the quad rail with a Surefire X300 on it and nothing else. I changed my BUI sights to the CSAT rear aperature and kept the Trijicon Acog 1.5x 30mm optic. So in the end, pretty basic; an optic, iron sights, flashlight, Danield Defense floating quad rail, Blue Force Vickers tactical 2-point sling and that's it. No vertical foregrip, laser, tripod, etc.

They are a lot of fun but you can sure spend a lot of money on them, just like cameras.

I'm waiting for my ATF form to come back now so I can turn my Sig 556 into an SBR.

[iCe]

I helped a friend of mine go through a practice version of that test. You wrote- "Sounds easy doesn't it". I thought it was impossible and more so when he pulled it off.

Come to think of it... that was about 5 years ago and the test you listed was more complex. He was doing a sniper certification test. Fewer rounds down range in a small amount of time. Selecting a specific target and firing in a very short amount of time. Something like that. It's been too long. The point is... it might sound easy but qualifying ain't...

[janikphoto]

I've played around with the AR idea, but have invested in other firearms, instead. I'm trying to save up for a ptr-91 (g3 clone) before all the semi-autos get banned...